Computer networks interconnect network nodes so that the nodes can communicate with each other. In some cases, network nodes may be directly connected to each other. In other cases, network nodes may be connected via one or more intermediate network nodes.
As the size and complexity of the network grows, the number of possible communication paths between any two network nodes can also increase. In such cases, network traffic is not always necessarily communicated via a preferred communication path between the two network nodes. In some cases, network traffic can be routed via a relatively indirect communication path even when there is a relatively direct communication path between two network nodes.
In telephony networks, the sending of telephony traffic via a relatively indirect communication path including a remote switch when it could be sent more directly is sometimes referred to as “tromboning.” Tromboning is generally undesirable, because it tends to use more bandwidth, which requires higher-capacity links and switching hardware and can lead to increased costs in setting up and running the network. It can also make the network less predictable and harder to specify and troubleshoot. In such cases, it would be preferable to be able to send the traffic via the preferred, relatively direct communication path.
It would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatuses for transmitting and forwarding data in a network.